smallmouth flies/gear

[Stimey]

I've never fished for anything but trout with a fly rod but figured I would like to give it a try. I have a 6wt with a sink tip line I use for throwing streamers for trout, and was thinking I could at least try this for smallmouth. Was wondering what streamers you warm water guys use to target them? Will general trout streamers like wooly buggers, scalpin, leeches, etc. work? If not any suggestions...

I'm looking at trying the Lehigh. Thanks

 

[McSneek]

Yes to all your questions. The only thing to consider is going with larger sizes of the flies you mentioned. My smallmouth buggers are tied on a #4 hook most often. Lots os smallmouth discussion in the warm water forum.

 

[henrydavid]

Don't forget your hoppers and poppers, topwater season is here, some days it's on, some days it's not, but when it's on it's a blast.

 

[Ebrant10]

Thats my personal smallie rig also, i like clousers on size 1/0-8, crayfish, helgramites, and bunny leeches.

 

[dc410]

Last year I blasted them with Clouser minnows. Sometimes I get in a rut when a certain fly is producing for me and have trouble getting away from it. This year I have gained a lot of confidence in dead drifting hellgramite patterns through the faster water. I have been using Murray's hellgramite pattern which is tied with dumbbell eyes - Clouser style, but there are many other great hellgramite patterns. Flyfishing for smallies is just a blast! It's like another whole season to look forward to each year. Good luck and don't hesitate to throw some bigger flies as mentioned above, they can be very aggressive, are great fighters and have big appetites!

 

[wgmiller]

dc410 wrote:
....but there are many other great hellgramite patterns.

Black wooly buggers.

 

[boychick]

I've been fishing a 6 wt with a floating line lately, but I also use a 7 wt. I fish a 9' 2x leader. You may want to get an extra spool and a floating line. For flies, I suggest streamers (clousers, buggers, sculpins), crayfish (have big ones and small ones), and poppers. Some guys like large nymphs like the hellgramites discussed above, but I don't use them often.

Use an active retrieve with streamers, vary it until you figure out with the fish want that day. Crayfish can be dead drifted like a nymph or bounced accross the bottom. Poppers should be cast to structure. Plop them down, give one pop and let it drift for a few seconds before you pop it again. The strike often comes durring that pause after the first pop. If there are pan fish present add a nymph as a dropper for some bonus fun. Another way to fish the popper that is often effctive for me is to strip the popper in such a way that it dives under the water and swims a foot or so then stop and it will rise back to the surface, wait for a few seconds and repeat. The strike will often come durring the pause.

Good luck!

 

[FiveWeight]

They will damned near take anything. All of the above thats been mentioned and just about anything you'd use for trout. Some of the biggest bass I've ever caught have been on an Adams dry. I use Muddler minnows a lot for them. 10lb or better mono and 5X tippet or bigger if your fish'n weed beds. It doesn't have to be fancy. The 6Wt will work fine for you. I usually use a 5Wt but that's just me.

 

[henrydavid]

Sounds like you guys have smallie fever, lol. Trout waters are getting too warm to fish so I'm getting it too.

If you want to have a real blast try some noisy topwater poppers at dark and into the night, the susky really comes alive at night, the topwater strikes can be very impressive.

 

[BelAirSteve]

To quote someone on this board (I wish I could remember so I could give proper credit) - any color will work, as long as it's chartreuse! I tie a clouser in natural and white bucktail, and top it with a little chartreuse marabou, and some white marabou on the belly. On a good day, in clear water, I have watch smallies come out (or up) to take it.

 

[kenbo5733]

don't forget some suface poppers those are my favorite way to catch bass